Promising Practices in Indigenous Education
A brighter future begins
with better education
The Martin Family Initiative (MFI) launched the Promising Practices in Indigenous Education Website (PPW) in December 2009. PPW is a virtual library/clearinghouse of curriculum resources and research for policy makers, researchers, health professionals, community workers and funders, those who work directly and indirectly with Indigenous students. Its goal is to improve elementary and secondary Indigenous student success.
PPW collects and publicizes curriculum materials, learning strategies, relevant policies and research, Early Childhood Education resources, Parent/Community Engagement, and other promising initiatives. The website hosts curriculum guides, videos, research papers, and resources for Indigenous and non-Indigenous teachers and learners. It also provides links to other Indigenous education organizations.
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From our most recent update:
COVID 19: Resources for Indigenous Youth
Source: Canadian Red Cross
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has made many of us feel worried and uncertain about the future. Here are some tips and tools for self-care, keeping in touch, staying safe online, and helping friends.
Use these resources to give you some inspiration to stay connected through daily questions and activities with your family!
- 21 Days of Hope (Also available in Inuktitut)
- 21 Days of Caring (Also available in Inuktitut)
- Finding Hope Through Caring (Also available in Inuktitut)
BCACCS Resource Centre
Source: BC Aboriginal Child Care Society (BCACCS)
Summary: The BCACCS Resource Centre’s collection is focused on materials with Indigenous content and promotes learning and information sharing among parents, child care students and professionals, educators, academics, researchers, policymakers and anyone interested in Indigenous early learning and child care.
You can search by keyword, browse our curriculum boxes, our library or by topic area.
Whose Land
Source: TakingITGlobal
Focus: K-5
Summary: This workshop series will introduce participants to Indigenous topics such as Indigenous naming terminology, history of Indigenous and settler relationships in Canada, and the importance of land acknowledgements. First, to assess prior knowledge, participants will engage in small group discussions centering around the theme of culture, land, and place. Next, participants will be tasked with learning one aspect of Indigenous history. Participants will rotate groups to share their knowledge with others. Finally, participants will collaborate on a suitable workplace or individual Indigenous land acknowledgement.
This workshop is designed to be an easily implementable lunch-and-learn series facilitated by a fellow co-worker volunteer or group of volunteers.
Indigenous Saskatchewan Encyclopedia
Source: University of Saskatchewan
Focus: Students 9-12
Summary: Over 200 entries about Saskatchewan's Indigenous history for you to discover.
In 2005 the Canadian Plains Research Centre, University of Regina Press created the single, largest, educational publishing project in Saskatchewan's history, the Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan, to celebrate Saskatchewan’s centennial anniversary. Within this encyclopedia were a significant number of resources that documented Saskatchewan’s numerous Indigenous Peoples histories, significant figures and events. With permission from the University of Regina Press, the Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning (GMCTL), and Indigenous Voices offer these resources on our website as they were originally published.
Our goal in providing these articles is to offer a starting point for the many people who are interested in learning more about the histories of the Indigenous Peoples of Saskatchewan. These great resources are not be perfect examples of historical and contemporary truths, due to the ever-changing nature of truth in Canada, but they do provide a broad overview to answer many questions and to stimulate many conversations. We encourage readers to use these resources with a constructive and critical perspective.
Kainai LandScapes Photo Essay
Source: Indigenous Education: The National Centre for Collaboration
Focus: Secondary students
Summary: For this video, a group of youth took photographs to illustrate their connection with the land, their community, and culture. Their photographs were then combined to create this photo essay. The lesson plan and photo essay CityScapeswere used as inspiration for this project in a rural setting.
Urban/Rural Indigenous perspectives of the landscape, while co-opted by their surroundings, reflect Indigenous meaning. Within CityScapes, buildings, hardened by the lights, are laced with images of past family members and Indigenous memory. In Kainai LandScapes,rural scapes shift with rivers, waterfalls, sunrises, and sunsets punctuated by wildlife. These two backgrounds are equally and indelibly intertwined to form parts of the newly emerging Indigenous expression of Canada.
To see the other youth photo essay connected to this project, watch CityScapes Photo Essay.
Indigenous education
Source: People for Education
Summary: All students should know about the history of the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, and about Indigenous history, culture, perspectives, and experiences.
Dr. Pamela Toulouse explores an Indigenous approach to quality learning environments and the Measuring What Matters competencies and skills. The paper draws out the research, concepts and themes from Measuring What Matters that align with Indigenous determinants of educational success. It expands on this work by offering perspectives and insights that are Indigenous and authentic in nature.
Éducation, apprentissage et compétences
Source: Statistique Canada
Summary: Enquêtes et programmes statistiques
Indigenous Students: Policy Paper
Source: OUSA - Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance
Summary: The Ontario provincial government has yet to make an open commitment to decolonization efforts and supporting Indigenous self-determination. In order to truly commit to truth, reconciliation, and the advancement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous allyship, the provincial government has a duty to openly express support for decolonization efforts and Indigenous self-determination. Each author, contributor, and supporter of this paper has come forward to build the following recommendations to reflect the principles and concerns we believe must be represented, respected, and acted upon by our government in order to ensure that there is not only harm reduction for those in our academic space, but inclusivity and equity. We are thankful and honoured for the support we have seen through the creation of this paper, and we are eagerly expecting the government’s unwavering and deserved support.